The Beautiful Boy Adventure
by HaldirAragorn
Summary: The Chocobros pick up a girl stranded in the woods after her car is attacked by daemons while on her way to meet her fiancé in Altissia. She and Prompto form an almost instantaneous bond as they all fight and joke their way to their mutual destination. What will become of their blossoming relationship?
1. Chapter 1

A young woman, just barely nineteen, trudged along the edge of a heavily wooded road, somewhere between Lucis and Tenebrae. It had been the roughest few days of her life since the attack, trying to make it out there alone in the middle of nowhere with nothing but her brother's dagger strapped to her leg and her bow and quiver slung across her back.

She cursed her father for not considering her wishes in the first place. She had never even met the man she was supposed to marry. 'Make the best of it' he had told her callously before entrusting her eldest brother Erik to deliver her safely to Altissia. She kicked at a rock, frustrated. Erik had always been his favorite, always so ready to please their viscount father. She had rarely been seen as anything but a token with which to barter the most beneficial marriage contract. She had little interest in learning to play music and move gracefully and sit around beautifying a room while her brothers were trained in the art of war, to be generals of armies for their king.

And so she had read books, and practiced in secret with the masterful bow gifted to her by her mother before she died. It was her most prized possession, its elegant curves decorated in carved vines and gold leaf. Rubbing her thumb pensively over the leather-wrapped handle, her ears perked up upon hearing the low hum of an approaching engine. She whipped around and saw a shiny black convertible heading in the same direction she had been walking. Her heart leapt in her throat at the thought of not having to walk for a while as she flagged the car down. She was exhausted, having barely slept the last few days out there alone. As it pulled over just ahead of her, she watched the driver and three other young men in their early twenties exit the vehicle.

"Are you alright?" the driver asked, a tall, slim man with glasses and near vertical dirty blonde hair. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay… for the most part," she answered.

"What are you doing out here?" the biggest one with darker features wondered. "The nearest settlement is fifty miles from here."

She looked at the ground, kicking at the dirt. "I was...My brother and I were on our way to Altissia to meet my _betrothed_ ," she said, sneering at the word, "when we were attacked a few nights ago by this huge monster. I only just escaped. Erik… Erik didn't make it." Her voice had cracked a little.

"I'm sorry," the golden-haired one said sullenly.

The four boys shared a look. "You're not from around here, are you," another said, brushing the charcoal hair from his eyes.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"Yeah. Everyone around here knows not to travel at night when the daemons come out," the tallest of them answered.

She sighed, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Maybe a sign or something would've been helpful... But yeah, I'm from Vanaheim."

"The tiny little province on the eastern side of the continent?" the blonde one asked enthusiastically. She nodded at him, unable to hold back a smirk at his excitement. "I've never met anyone from Vanaheim. They don't have much in the way of magitek there, do they?"

"Not really, no. We're...sort of old fashioned," she said begrudgingly.

He extended his hand. "I'm Prompto Argentum. What's your name?"

She shook his hand, smiling at him. "Astrid Vinter, but my friends call me Asti."

"Nice to meet you, Asti. This is Ignis Scientia, and Noctis Lucis Caelum," Prompto said, introducing each of his group. "And this big guy here is Gladiolus Amicitia."

Her eyes paused on Noctis. "Why is your name so familiar?" she asked him curiously.

He seemed to shift uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. Ignis cleared his throat and spoke for him. "This is _Prince_ Noctis of Lucis."

"Oh!" she said, curtsying. "Sorry, Your Highness. I'm not great at foreign politics and whatnot. My bad."

"It's okay. Don't sweat it," he said dismissively, waving his hand. "It's just Noctis."

"Got it...Noctis." She smiled at him.

"Well, now that the proper introductions are over, we should be on our way…" Ignis began in his refined accent.

"We can't leave her here, guys," Prompto interrupted him.

"The thought never crossed my mind," Ignis said coolly. His shorter blonde friend looked relieved. "We can certainly give you a lift. We too are headed ultimately for Altissia."

"Whoa, hold it Iggy," Gladiolus said in his deep voice. "We're not just joyriding here. We're under constant threat from daemons and Imperials alike. It's not really safe for someone like her. Shouldn't we just drop her off in the first town we come to? She can get a ride from there."

"Come on, Gladio!" Prompto protested on her behalf. "She's got a bow, though, look! I'm sure she can take care of herself. She's been out here for days, _alone_. That's gotta be proof enough right there." She was happy to find he was on her side.

"He does have a point," Noctis agreed, Ignis shrugging along with him.

Gladio grumbled, then looked down at her. "What about it, girl? Can you shoot that old thing?"

She smirked and flipped the bow from her back, not taking her eyes off Gladiolus. "See that squirrel over there with the acorn?" He glanced down the road at the critter she'd mentioned, seeing him sitting on a tree stump fifty paces away.

"Yeah," he grunted.

"No, don't shoot the squirrel!" Prompto said, inferring her intent.

She turned and smiled sweetly at him, admiring his concern. "It's okay, I wouldn't hurt him. Trust me." His eyes lingered on hers a moment until he eventually nodded and stood back. In a flash of movement, she flipped out an arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and released. The squirrel let out a surprised squeak and disappeared from sight. Prompto and Gladio exchanged a glance as she sprinted to retrieve her arrow, the squirrel chattering angrily at her from an overhead branch.

When she returned, she handed it to Gladio, the acorn lodged deeply on its tip. The rest of them clustered around to see for themselves. Noctis and Ignis chuckled with approval, and Prompto laughed heartily and backhanded his taller friend's bicep. "There's your answer right there, Gladdy!" he grinned and grabbed the arrow from him, pulling her over with him in front of Gladiolus. "Smile!" he said, snapping a picture of all of them as he held up her arrow in the frame.

* * *

"What's your favorite color?" Prompto asked her, as she sat cross-legged in the middle next to him and Noctis. They had been at it for a while now.

"Hm, yellow. You?" Astrid returned the question.

"Orange. Your turn."

"Okay...What's your favorite food?"

"Hm. Hamburgers and fries. What's yours?"

"Uh...pizza. Or fried chicken. No, pizza. But it's close."

"Mmhmm, mhmm...Both good choices," he agreed, nodding like he was some kind of food critic. She giggled at him.

"Your question, Blondie," she said, smiling coyly at him. "Better make it a good one…"

"Why, they haven't been good enough?" he asked, feigning offense with a hand to his heart.

"I think you can do better…"

"Oh, oh I see," he played along, then took a deep breath. "Okay then… From the way you talked about it earlier, it seems like you're not too happy about meeting up with your fiancé. Have you never met him?"

So he had guts after all, she thought. "Hmpf. No. And to be honest, I don't want to. I would just run away from it all, but I haven't really anywhere else to go. Can't go back home, they'll just send me back and try again. And we know what waits for me in Altissia, so… I'm kind of just stuck anyway you look at it. Plus… I kinda promised Erik I'd go through with it. He always watched out for me, so...I guess I owe it to him." He gave her a sympathetic expression.

"I understand. I wouldn't want to marry anyone I hadn't met either. Noct here, he's at least met his future wife." He motioned to his best friend beside her.

"You've got that in your favor. Do you like her?" She had turned to face Noctis.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Known her since I was a kid."

"That's good. Wish I was as lucky." She decided she'd had enough of this subject of conversation. "So what do you guys like to do for fun?"

"Are you saying this isn't fun?" Prompto teased her, taking note of her desire to change topics. She grinned and playfully narrowed her eyes at him. "I like photography," he finally answered. "Documenting everything I see that catches my eye. You know, that kind of thing. And video games, but I'm not into it nearly as much as Noct."

"You play games?" she asked, turning back to the prince.

"Yeah, you do too?" he replied, surprised and suddenly interested in chatting. "Which ones?"

"Oh, not another one," Gladio muttered from the front seat.

* * *

The cool evening air whipping by made her shiver as she slept lightly, her head unconsciously drifting closer to Prompto's sleeveless shoulder. Astrid had curled up between him and Gladiolus in the back seat of the Regalia as the sun went down, its warmth along with it. Yet despite the falling darkness and the terrors it brings with it, this was the first night in a long time she had felt completely safe.

"Gladio!" Prompto whispered, his blue eyes wide with apprehension, "What do I do? She's cold! See? Look, she's shivering."

His much larger companion rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

"What?" Prompto asked innocently.

Gladio sighed. "Make a move, idiot." Prompto made a face at him, then looked nervously at the pretty girl asleep on his shoulder. He had never been good at interacting with the opposite sex, especially when they were attractive. This one was the first that actually seemed to regard him the same as she did Noctis. Usually they just went all doe-eyed at the mere mention of the prince riding shotgun in front of him. But he wasn't sure if it was proper, since they were supposed to be delivering her to her fiancé.

He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and cautiously put his arm around her. Gladio grunted beside him. She stirred and opened her unusually big greenish brown eyes. "Prompto?"

He tensed, ready for a letdown. "Uhh...yeah?"

"I'm cold. Can I have some of your warm?" Astrid asked sleepily.

"Heh, as much as you want," he replied cheerfully, relaxing his muscles. She smiled faintly, cozying up against his side, while he adjusted his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks Prompto," she said softly, closing her eyes and resting her hand on his chest. "You're the best. I'm glad you guys found me," she said, her voice trailing off as she fell asleep again.

"Me too," he said, glancing up at Gladiolus, who was giving him a raised eyebrow and sideways grin while nodding approvingly. Prompto shot him a warning look, but then noticed Noctis turned around in his seat with a similar grin. The blonde could feel his normally very fair skin getting red from embarrassment. He even caught Ignis chuckling quietly to himself in the driver's seat. They wouldn't let him live this down for a while. He took a deep breath to calm himself, inadvertently catching the flowery scent of her hair. He let it linger in his mind for a moment before deciding this was worth whatever ribbing his friends would come up with in the next few days.


	2. Chapter 2

_Darkness. Out of nowhere a great horned beast on the road, such a massive creature as she had never seen. The car swerves out of Erik's control. Suddenly the world is spinning violently, then a deafening roar. Somewhere a fire burns. As her senses return, she groggily glances over at her unconscious brother. She has to get them out. Crawling from the passenger door, she coughs from the swirling dust and smoke. The daemon hears, claws at the hood of the car. It spins like a toy, upside down, forcefully knocking her away. Everything is lit by orange flames. Everything aches but she tries to lift herself up, able to see Erik from the ground where she lies. The monster steps through the wall of fire coming for her, one of its thick, hulking legs crushing the car with Erik still inside. She tries to scream but there is no sound…_

"Astrid?" Prompto asked, tightening his arm around her and gently shaking her awake. She looked around, confused and tense. She was back in the Regalia among her new friends. "It's okay," he said soothingly. She met his gaze, a little surprised by his apparent concern. "It was just a dream."

She exhaled and relaxed. "...Yeah," she said hesitantly, resting her head back on his shoulder and nestling closer.

"Hey Iggy, isn't it about time we find somewhere to make camp for the night?" Gladiolus asked.

"That sounds like a splendid idea. I could certainly do with a rest," Ignis agreed.

" _I_ could do with some grub," Prompto quipped cheerfully.

"You're _always_ hungry," Noctis teased. Astrid giggled and looked up at Prompto.

"Fighting monsters and Imperials really works up my appetite, Noct!"

"We haven't seen any all day," Gladio said, throwing a wrench in his logic.

"Well, I didn't eat much yesterday, and we ran into a lot of them then. It's just balancing out."

She smiled and shook her head, looking at him sideways. She hadn't had a lot of contact with boys her age, save for her brothers, all of them having been privately tutored from home. She was a little unsure of what the rules of interaction were in this situation. But she couldn't deny the connection she felt towards Prompto. He was sweet, and had been doing his best to make her feel comfortable amongst her new traveling companions.

He made her wish she had met him under different circumstances.

* * *

"Prompto, could you be so kind as to collect some firewood so I could start dinner?" Ignis asked as they all unpacked their camping gear.

"Anything to get food in my mouth faster, Iggy. Back in a flash!" Prompto said, before grabbing Astrid's wrist and dashing off into the twilight forest, seizing the opportunity to get her alone. "Wanna come? It's safer to venture in pairs around here." She grinned and followed him closely.

"Prompto! Slow down, you're missing all kinds of stuff."

"That's too small. Gladio will give me an earful if that's all I bring back."

"Heh. Why's he always so grumpy?" she asked, picking up some bigger broken logs.

"Gladio? He's not as badass as he thinks he is. He's actually a pretty nice guy most of the time."

"You're nice _all_ of the time," she said, her eyes locked on the ground.

"Heh, thanks," he replied shyly.

"You're different than the rest of them," she said, finally glancing at him. He could tell that her face was flushed even in the dim lighting, and suddenly felt very out of place.

"I...I am?" he asked bashfully, rubbing his spiky hair.

She smiled at him. "Yeah. They're all pretty serious, and you're… fun and enthusiastic."

"Heh heh, it's probably just the way they were brought up at the palace," he said, deflecting the compliment. "You know, all 'duty first!' and stuff like that. Must just be how nobility is, I guess."

"You didn't grow up there too?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"Nah, I met Noct in school. I'm just a tagalong nobody who's lucky enough to get to hang out with these guys."

She stopped walking and looked at him with a furrowed brow. "You're _not_ a nobody, Prompto. A person's true measure isn't in who their parents are, but in how they act and treat others." She spoke almost harshly, as if he had offended her, and his surprise showed on his face. She continued more calmly, touching his arm as he met her eyes. "You're not nobody. They're lucky to have you."

She was sweet, he thought, but she barely knew him. He smiled anyway and said, "Thanks."

"Anyway, I'm sure nobility isn't all it's cracked up to be," she said, looking away.

"Yeah, that's why I try to keep everyone happy. They're kind of all I've got for friends, so I don't want to lose them."

"That's not true, Prompto. You've just made one more," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. He stopped and smiled at her, realizing this was the first time a girl had ever considered him a friend. He liked the way it felt.

* * *

"Can I help?" Astrid asked Ignis as he cut up vegetables. Prompto had busied himself with building the fire and she wanted to make herself useful.

"Certainly. I'll never turn away good help. Do you cook?" he replied pleasantly.

"Well, bake mostly. I've got a bit of a weak spot for cookies and cakes and the like. But I can follow a recipe," she said in defense of her abilities.

"Ohh," he said, interested, "Noct has a penchant for sweets as well. I'll have to make something for you to try."

"That'd be awesome. I love anything chocolate."

"Hm, I've got a few recipes for you, then. Would you care to chop these for me while I get the pan ready?"

"You got it," she said happily, taking the knife from him.

* * *

"Iggy, you've outdone yourself tonight, my friend," Gladiolus said, leaning back in his Coleman chair after tossing his paper plate in the fire.

"That's very kind, but I share in the credit with my lovely assistant," he replied proudly.

"Aww...Thanks Ignis, but you're the brains here. I just did the grunt work," she said with a grin, flattered at the compliment.

"Careful girl, you're gonna make Blondie here jealous…" Gladio teased, causing Noctis to stifle a giggle.

"Hey, shut up, man," Prompto said, his cheeks reddening. He wished he was invisible.

"Gladio…" she scolded him softly, not seeming too upset about it.

Ignis came to the rescue with a deflection. "Well I don't know about all of you, but I could do with a good night's rest."

"Prompto says she can stay with him," Gladio said flatly, eliciting a snicker from Noctis. Ignis narrowed his eyes at him.

"She can _use_ my _tent,_ " Prompto piped up, trying to turn his words around, "if I can sleep in yours, Noct." His best friend nodded in agreement. "Cool. Then let me get you set up, Asti." He stood and gestured to the tent, until she rose and followed him. She completely caught him off-guard when, as she passed by, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. His eyes widened for a second before he remembered them all watching.

"Thanks, Prompto," she said sweetly before kneeling to unzip the tent. He shot a self-satisfied smirk at each of his gawking friends before turning on his heel to follow her.

* * *

Astrid laid awake late that night, listening to the sounds of the forest mingling with the crackling fire outside her borrowed tent. How different the woods felt now compared to how they did yesterday, when her only companions were the cold night air and the waning moon. She heard one of the other tents unzip, and one of them walk off into the woods. Her thoughts strayed for just a moment, wondering which of them it was. She held her brother's dagger in her hand, pensively lost in the glow of the firelight dancing across the side of the orange tent. It reminded her of the night she lost Erik, and the daemon's silhouette against the wall of fire. She cursed herself for not being fast enough, for not being able to save the only surviving member of her family whom she truly loved. His pale face still lingered in her thoughts from when she laid him to rest beneath the tallest oak she could find the next morning. She hadn't allowed herself to properly grieve for him, with more pressing matters of survival on the docket. But now with that image of him in her mind, the tears began to fall. She tried to sob quietly, so as to not bother the others, but as he was returning to his tent, Prompto's voice cut through her den of sorrow.

"Astrid? Are you okay? Are you...crying?" he whispered.

She quickly wiped her face and sniffled. "No, I'm alright, Prompto," she whispered back. "You can go back to sleep."

"Alright...good night," he replied, obviously not buying into it, but slowly shuffling back towards his tent. She immediately regretted her previous answer, and realized she could use someone to talk to.

"Wait, Prompto?" she said, reaching up to unzip the tent so she could see him. He stopped and crouched down to the half-opened door wearing only his usual pair of black patterned pants. Flustered, her eyes quickly darted over his body.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again.

"Actually...no. I would really love it if you could come and talk to me for a bit," she said, looking up at him with a furrowed brow.

He glanced around the campsite briefly, but ultimately said, "Of course," before as silently as possible climbing into the tent with her. He reclined on his arm, lying down on the ground next to her. She watched him intently as he got comfortable, her eyes drinking in the sight of each muscle flexing as he moved. He was nothing but sinew, as thin as he was, she realized. "You _were_ crying," he said, snapping her out of it, noticing her wet face and eyelashes. "What's wrong?"

"I was just… thinking about my brother, Erik," she said, turning his knife in her hand.

"Oh. I'm sorry." He motioned to it and asked softly, "Was that his?"

"Yeah. I took it from his… from him before I buried him in the woods. He loved this dagger. I gave it to him for his eighteenth birthday. It never left his side after that. Except for now…" she said sadly.

"I'm sure he would've wanted you to have it. It sounds like you two were close," he said reassuringly.

"Yeah. He was the only one of my brothers who was nice to me. He helped me practice with my bow, and kept the secret from our father who had forbidden it. Erik even found me a teacher, and told him they were art lessons."

"He sounds pretty great. Wish I had a brother like him."

"Do you have siblings?"

"No...no I was adopted, actually. No brothers or sisters," he said regretfully. "Just me, and my parents, if they were around. They were pretty busy most of the time," he said uneasily, shifting his weight on his arm. She watched, mesmerized by every twitch of his chest dimly illuminated by the firelight filtering through the tent. He looked up at her, catching her wandering eyes in the act. She smiled foolishly, blushing profusely and hoping he didn't notice. But she could see in the smirk he gave her that he had.

Trying to get her mind back on track, she said, "Yeah, I didn't see my parents much either. My mother died when I was twelve, and after that my father didn't really make himself seen much. I think I reminded him of her."

"She must've been pretty awesome then," he said, grinning.

She giggled in response, and they heard Gladio in the next tent over moan, half awake, "Come on man, shut up and go to sleep." The two of them looked at each other and quietly snickered.

"Heh, guess I should go…" he agreed.

"Oh okay," she said reluctantly as he began to crawl out of the tent. He paused before he zipped it up when she put her hand on his arm. "Prompto…"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for talking to me. You're really good at cheering people up."


	3. Chapter 3

"Ooh, Ignis, pull over! I wanna get a picture!" Prompto said excitedly as they emerged from the forest to see a wide open vista on one side of the road, bathed in golden morning sunlight. Mountains like daggers and rivers of silver dotted the landscape as they all looked on in awe. Ignis found a place to park on the side of the road and they all got out, standing around admiring the view while Prompto set up his tripod. When he was ready, he hopped around the back of the Regalia, grabbing Astrid and Noct under each arm, and grinning well before the click of his shutter.

As he rushed back to his camera to see the results, an imperial dropship came up from behind them, pouring its contents in the middle of the road before taking off again. "Noct, above!" Gladio called out.

Astrid darted to the car to grab her bow. "Where are your weapons, guys?" she asked, trying to give them a hand while rummaging through stuff in the car. When she looked up at them for an answer, she saw them spread out in a row, with a selection of blue glowing armaments swirling around the prince. They each held out their hand and their chosen weapon materialized. She almost dropped her quiver in surprise. "What the hell?!" she said, flabbergasted, as she ran to catch up with them. "Are you guys wizards?" she asked Prompto, who laughed and shook his head, then raised his pistol at a magitek soldier.

"I'll...explain later. Now just stay close. We should put some distance between us and them." She followed Prompto's lead, stepping back a bit, and took aim.

Gladio, Noctis, and Ignis were already hacking away at the mechanical squad of soldiers. She picked them off as fast as she could, carefully covering each of their backs. She watched as Ignis thrust a spear into an enemy's face, while Gladio swung his giant sword diagonally through one's shoulder, cleaving it almost in half. "Ignis! All business!" Prompto sung cheerfully. Noctis was like a wisp, teleporting here and there around the battlefield to take out unsuspecting victims with deadly accuracy.

Between the five of them, the unit of imperials didn't last long. As they mopped up the last few of them, however, two more dropships showed up, their numbers surrounding them on all sides. Astrid stood back to back with Prompto then, the two of them cut off from the rest of the group. "Blondie! You're up," Gladio shouted.

"Uh, that's... me, I guess?" Prompto said, before readying a trick shot. "Well hello there, _opening_." He fired from the hip, taking out three of them and clearing a bit of a path between their fractured group.

Astrid couldn't help but giggle. "That was awesome!" They tried to move in closer to the main group, the soldiers having gotten into too close of a proximity for their fighting styles. They swarmed from all sides, and it seemed for every one they killed, two more stepped forward. "Crap, I'm out of arrows," she noted, turning to Prompto for a second. "Wish I had some magic—behind you!" she said while fluidly whipping herself around, drawing, and loosing her last arrow right past Prompto's ear. A magitek soldier holding aloft an axe sputtered and sparked behind him before falling over. But her quick thinking soon cost her, as she had left her back exposed. One of the other soldiers got lucky with a random swing of its sword, managing to slash her across the left shoulder blade. She let out a yelp and then swore, catching the attention of Gladio nearby, who moved in to help.

Prompto had seen it happen from the corner of his eye, and frantically called her name. He grabbed at her and tried to position her between himself and Gladio. "Guys, I'm okay," she assured them, removing her dagger from its sheath, still ready to fight. Gladio raised an eyebrow and glanced at Prompto, apparently impressed with her tenacity. "Gotta warn you though, I kinda suck at close range."

Gladiolus grumbled, "This would've been good to know beforehand…"

"Sorry! Tell you what, if we live through this, you can kill me yourself," Astrid shot back.

"Don't tempt me, sweetheart," he teased while hacking at a couple mechanicals. Their numbers had dwindled considerably, with Noctis and Ignis chiseling away from the outside of the cluster. Stabbing clumsily at nearby imperials, she couldn't help noticing Prompto had gotten unusually quiet recently. She glanced at him to see why, and saw his face was plastered with an anxious expression as he met her eyes.

"You alright?" she asked him, never having seen anything far off from a smile on his face.

"Yeah. Are...are you?" he said, swallowing.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let's just get the rest of these guys and take a breather, okay?"

Noct and Gladio took out most of the remaining soldiers, until Prompto picked off the last one with a headshot and a grim nod. "That's for Asti," she heard him mutter under his breath. She had to hide a smirk.

"So... _you_ guys are amazing," she said matter-of-factly, sheathing her knife and beginning to retrieve her arrows, blood dripping down her back and staining her white shirt. Ignis bashfully brushed off her praise, while Prompto and Gladio made their way over to her, standing behind her to get a better look at the cut she'd received. She felt the tiniest bit ashamed that she'd managed to get hurt in the very first fight. "I'm okay. It doesn't hurt that bad, guys."

"That's because their weapons are razor sharp," Gladio said.

"Hey Iggy, can you come take a look at this?" Prompto asked nervously.

"Astrid's hurt?" Ignis asked. "Of course. Would you get the first aid kit out of the car, Prompto?" He nodded and ran to pop the trunk.

"Can I finish getting my arrows first?" Astrid complained.

"No. They'll still be there when Iggy's done patching you up," Gladio said gruffly.

"But what if more ships come? I feel naked without a full quiver."

Gladio growled. " _I'll_ get them. You sit down and let Iggy check you out." She made a pouty face at him, but did as he instructed, taking a seat on a nearby rock with Noctis standing around in front of her. Prompto returned with the kit, already pulling out bandages and gauze. Astrid tried looking over her shoulder to see for herself as Ignis preliminarily checked over her wound. Prompto knelt next to her, his blue eyes fixated on hers.

"Hm, I'm afraid...I'll...need you to remove your shirt, to apply some ointment and bandages," Ignis said sheepishly. She looked in his green eyes, shocked initially at what he was asking, but decided eventually he was right.

She sighed sharply, looking at the three of them, Gladio still off sifting through metallic corpses for her arrows. "Alright...then, at least turn around until I tell you."

"Yup," said Noctis quickly, averting his eyes.

"Right," said Ignis and Prompto in near unison before awkwardly turning their heads.

"And do me a favor guys," she said, quickly undoing her buttons and sliding the shirt off her shoulders. "Don't mention this to Gladio."

"You have our word," Ignis said nobly.

"Hey, how many arrows did y—" Gladiolus began, sprinting towards them before she had managed to cover herself up again. "Hoo...ly sh—." His brown eyes were wide until he realized his mistake, at which point he suddenly became very interested in a scuff on his pant leg.

"Gladio!" she cried, scolding him and balling up her shirt in her arms to cover her chest. Then, sighing in exasperation, she growled, "Two dozen! There should be two dozen!"

"I...think I missed a few then," he said with a cough, briskly turning back the way he'd come.

"So much for _that_ …" she grumbled. "Alright, you guys can look now. Not that there's much to see anymore…"

"My apologies," Ignis began.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it," she said reassuringly.

"I'm gonna kill him," Prompto muttered.

"Prompto, it's fine. It wasn't his fault."

"Still…" he said. She reached out and took his hand when he couldn't drop it. He looked at her with surprise, and she smiled warmly at him. His expression changed, brightening to his usual cheerful self.

"How does it look, Ignis?" she asked, her gaze still on Prompto.

"Not too bad, as a matter of fact. It appears to be a simple flesh wound, thankfully."

"Phew! That's a relief," Prompto sighed happily. "By the way, thanks for saving my skin out there. I'd be toast if it wasn't for you."

"Nah, it was nothing. Anyway, if I hadn't been distracting you, you would've been just fine."

Ignis finished cleaning and dressing her cut, and they all looked away again as she put her shirt back on, thanking Ignis for his medic skills. Gladio eventually made his way back with a few more arrows as she buttoned it up, his hand blocking his vision. "Is everyone decent?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Good. Let's get out of here," Gladio said. Prompto held out his gloved hand to pull her up.

"Mm, yes," said Ignis. "I suggest we stop by Hammerhead to replenish the first aid kit. We'll need to change these bandages now and then."

"I could use some more line and a couple lures while we're there, too," Noctis said.

" _I_ could use a bath," Prompto said.

"I wasn't gonna say anything, but…" Noct teased him, waving a hand in front of his nose. Prompto playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"You gotta get freshened up for Cindy, eh?" Gladio said.

"Gladio…" Prompto warned him in a low voice as they began to pile in the car.

"...Cindy?" Astrid repeated, suddenly very interested in the new information.

Gladiolus looked at her and smirked. "What is Cindy gonna think about you bringing another woman along?" By now she could tell when he was just trying to harass Prompto. She hoped.

Prompto slammed the car door shut after taking his usual seat next to Astrid. "Probably nothing, _Gladio_ , since I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know I exist." She smiled at him sympathetically, but couldn't help but feel a little relieved.


	4. Chapter 4

"Good ol' Hammerhead," Prompto said as the station appeared on the horizon. He was a little anxious about seeing Cindy again, though not in the same way as usual.

"Hey Ignis, do you think they carry arrows here? Two dozen isn't enough, apparently," Astrid asked.

"I don't believe so."

"Dang it."

"You oughta just learn how to use the weapon you already have," Gladio said, nodding towards her dagger.

"Are you volunteering to teach me?" she asked doubtfully.

"I can give you a bit of training, sure."

"Oh. Okay, cool," she replied, a hint of surprise in her voice. Ignis parked the car in front of the garage and they all filed out, stretching their limbs. Cindy saw them arrive, and made her way over to the group, wiping her hands on a rag. Prompto watched her briefly, then glanced at Astrid. She shot him a raised eyebrow before turning back to the girl in the yellow cropped jacket and cutoff jeans.

"What can I do for you fellas this time around?" Cindy asked them with her usual drawl, then noticed their recent addition. "Who's your new friend?"

Prompto spoke up first. "Oh hey Cindy. This is Astrid. Her car was attacked by daemons and she was stranded in the forest. She's headed the same place we are, so we offered her a lift."

"Ain't that sweet of you boys. Pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said jovially, nodding to Astrid.

"Nice to meet you," she replied in kind.

Cindy smiled pleasantly, then turned back to the rest of them. "How are you likin' your upgrades? Can I interest y'all in anything new?"

"We just came to restock on some supplies," Gladio said.

"I could take a look at what you've got on offer while we're here, though," Noctis said. Her face lit up, beckoning for him to follow her into the garage. Ignis trailed behind them with a sigh.

"Guess we'll be here a while," Gladio said while rolling his eyes, splitting off as well. "I'm gonna check the shop."

Prompto and Astrid looked at each other. "So you mentioned a bath?" she asked him.

"Oh yeah! This way," he said, excitedly grabbing her arm and leading her toward one of the trailers.

"I could definitely do with one of those after all that time in the woods. I'm all sticky and gross."

"Woohoo! Bath time!"

She laughed at him, amused. "You're too cute," she said, giggling at his enthusiasm. "What's so fun about baths? Do you have a collection of rubber duckies you bring in with you or something?"

He grinned back at her. "No, they're chocobos," he said straight faced, playing along and eliciting more giggles from the pretty brown-haired girl walking closely beside him.

* * *

"Flip it around for defense," Gladio instructed Astrid, positioning a practice stick properly in her hand. Prompto had perched on a rock close by the edge of the grassy patch they'd claimed as training grounds, watching her lesson in knife fighting while Noct decided on vehicle modifications. "Good. Now show me your stance."

She held the knife like he'd shown her and said, "Like this?" He nodded, taking position in front of her, hands raised holding a similarly sized stick.

"Right. Now keep your guard up. I'm gonna try to slash at you."

" _You_ keep _your_ guard up. I'm gonna get you this time," she said playfully.

"Let's see it then," he taunted her, then made his move, feinting and slashing across her ribs with his stick. She deflected, but too late.

"You almost had him there!" Prompto shouted as encouragement. She grinned and shrugged at him from across the grass.

"Almost doesn't count when you're bleeding to death," Gladio said gruffly. "Your blade is long enough that you can use it almost as a shield for your arm, since you're so little. That's what I want you to focus on: defense."

"Hey, I'm not little! I'm normal sized. _You're_ just a giant," she pointed out.

"And that puts you at a disadvantage in this case. I've got the longer reach, so you have to put yourself six or so inches closer to me before you can even start to seriously hurt me. It's best to fight someone your size or smaller. Though it's unlikely you'll ever be fighting anyone smaller than you, midget." He grinned and held his head high, making him seem even taller than the extra foot or so he had on her.

She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Hey Prompto, did you know that there's a really pretty pink flower called 'Gladiolus'?" She countered his jab with her own.

"Hahaha...Is there really?" Prompto snickered.

"Yep, it's part of the iris family."

"That's his sister's name!" he added with a cackle.

"No way! That's perfect," she giggled.

She looked up at Gladio to see him gritting his teeth. "Alright girl, en garde!" he growled, coming at her again fast. His arm thrust out for her side again, but this time she was waiting for some kind of retaliation. She bent her body sideways a bit to dodge his stick, and managed to catch his arm under hers to render his stick harmless. At the same time, she stabbed out for his stomach, and was amazed to find that it connected. She froze and looked up at him. He stared at her for a moment in thought, then chuckled. "Not bad, midget. Not bad." She released his arm and stood back, smiling, as Prompto applauded from the sidelines.

"Really? I did good?"

"I said 'not bad'."

"I think that was just lucky though. I didn't really plan it, it was kinda just instinct."

"That's how it should be. There should be no planning or thought," he said, seemingly amused.

"Oh. Well, then… yay me!" she cheered, holding up her stick.

"Heh, sure, kid," he said pleasantly, chuckling while patting her on the back without thinking. She hissed and flinched, her fresh cut stinging. "Oh, right...sorry," he apologized, realizing his mistake.

"It's okay."

He gently put his hand on her opposite shoulder and led her over to Prompto's rock. "I think that's enough for today. For right now in fights, until you get better at it, just concentrate on defense. When you get low on ammo, stick close to me and Iggy or Noct. We'll take care of the rest," he said, his voice softer in tone than usual.

"Hey, what about me?" Prompto said, rising from his seat to meet them.

Gladio nudged his shoulder. "You're too easily distracted by her. That'll get you killed real quick."

"And we don't want that," she said, grinning at Prompto.


	5. Chapter 5

Ignis met them by the caravan, looking a bit more taut than usual. Noctis still chatted with Cindy at the corner of the garage, and the rest relaxed in a cluster of chairs, sipping at iced tea in the shade and chatting happily. "Noct has his heart set on a supercharger," he informed the group with a sigh. "It will allow a higher top speed for the Regalia."

"Great...so what's the catch?" Gladiolus asked bluntly.

"It is a rather...expensive upgrade, and will nearly deplete our funds."

"Ah." Gladio nodded and shifted in his chair like he knew where this was going.

"Cindy has suggested a hunt contract someone came to Takka about the other day."

"What's it for?"

"She claimed the petitioner called it a 'Behemoth' even among daemons, found in Keycatrich Ruins."

"Hmm...sounds fun."

"I expected nothing less from you," Ignis said, "but what of the rest of you?"

"A supercharger that lets us cruise around faster? Count me in, Specs," Prompto agreed, then turned to Astrid for her vote.

"I'm with you guys. Ready for anything," she said, making a fist.

"Then it's decided. It's well past midday. We'll leave first thing in the morning," Ignis said. "Rest well while we're here. I don't foresee an easy fight."

"Does this mean we're staying in the caravan tonight?" Prompto asked hopefully.

"Yes. We may as well make use of Hammerhead's facilities while we have them available."

"Yeah!" cheered Prompto. "Wanna go see the chocobos? There's a baby one," he asked, turning to Astrid.

"Okay!" she replied excitedly, hopping up from her chair. "Can we ride them? I've never ridden a chocobo before…"

* * *

He pulled her along by the hand, leading her to the pen. She laughed behind him, and he kept turning back to catch a glimpse of her smile. She was so beautiful, the way she looked at him with the sun in her hair. He always wanted to remember her like this. Pulling out his camera from his pocket, he snapped a candid photograph, not even sure if it would come out.

"Oh look! There's the baby!" she squealed, nearing the pen and pointing amid the herd of them. "Oh Prompto, it's so cute!" He grinned at her enthusiasm.

"Want to hold it?" he asked.

"Can we?"

"Yeah, you just have to make the mom feel comfortable with you. Chocobos are actually pretty smart," he said, reaching up to scratch the big one's head. The golden bird contentedly closed its eyes and became very quiet. Astrid approached it slowly and did as Prompto did, rubbing its head. "She likes it when you scratch behind her ears," he told her, moving her hand to the right spot. The chocobo let out a sound akin to a purr and lowered its head. She grinned warmly at Prompto, and he couldn't resist another photograph. She became a little shy then, removing her hand from the chocobo and clasping them behind her.

"Why do you take so many pictures of me?" she asked him.

He wasn't sure how to answer. "I just...don't want to forget you."

"Why would you forget me? Can't I still see you after we get to Altissia?" she asked nervously, as though she just realized a sad reality.

"Oh, well, sure. I mean I hope so, anyway. But who knows what'll happen after you… after we get there. I'm just making sure I don't forget."

"I don't want to forget you either, Prompto. But I never could." His face lit up at her words, his smile wide and delightful. "Still, maybe I could have some copies of your pictures?" she added slyly.

"You got it," he agreed, distracted by the little chocobo tugging at his pant leg with its beak. "Oh hey there, little buddy!" He knelt down and the bird hopped up onto his knee. She sat on the ground next to him, watching how he played with the baby chocobo.

"You're good with animals," she commented.

He picked up the baby bird in his arms and scooched closer to her. "We just understand each other, that's all." She smiled and gently pet the little creature as it merrily pecked at the black bandana tied around Prompto's right bicep. Chuckling, he handed the bird over to her. The look of enchantment in her eyes when she glanced up sent shivers through his whole body.

"Take a picture of us now," she asked softly, her eyes locked on his. It took him a moment for her request to register in his mind, but he eventually nodded. As he held his camera up with the lens facing them, she pressed herself even closer, resting her head against his. His heart leapt in his chest, and he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, before smiling for the click of the shutter. She slowly moved her head away from his, and he reluctantly removed his arm. As she looked at him just then, he had to fight the overwhelming urge to kiss her. "Do you want to go for a ride?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Okay," she replied, still watching him closely.

* * *

"You win!" Prompto congratulated her. The sun hung low on the horizon as their birds crested a big hill not far from Hammerhead. "I thought you said you'd never ridden chocobos before."

"Cut it out, we both know you let me win," she teased him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, hopping off his mount and approaching hers.

"Mhmm," she said, dropping it.

He held out his hand to help her down. "M'lady…" he offered, bowing his head and folding his other arm across his body. She took it, giggling at him joking around.

"Thank you, kind sir," she played along, sliding from the large bird's back. She looked around the top of the hill, admiring the scenery. "Whoa, you can see forever up here!" she exclaimed, taking a few steps closer to the edge of the bluff.

"Yeah, it feels like it," he said, watching her. She peered cautiously over the edge, down at the ground below, and nudged a pebble off the bluff. It clattered noisily against the side as it fell.

"Prompto, come look how high we are! It's really cool." She extended her arm to him in an invitation.

"Uh, that's okay. I'll take your word for it."

"Come on, Blondie. Why not, are you scared of heights?"

"Uhh, yup. You got it, heh," he replied anxiously.

"Oh," she said, stepping away from the cliff. "Then why'd you bring me up here?"

"Well I didn't think you'd want me to stand within inches of falling to my doom," he said, getting slightly defensive.

"Okay, okay," she said, trying to calm him down. "We'll just stay back here then. Don't worry." She returned to his safe spot and sat down next to him, reclining back on her arms. She hoped he would follow her lead, and moments later, he did. They sat together, looking out over the landscape at the setting sun, while the chocobos pecked happily at the clumps of grass behind them. "Has Lucis always had monsters that come out at night?" she asked, her thoughts suddenly turning to the darkening sky.

"As long as I can remember," he answered sullenly. "Though I grew up in Insomnia, where they don't have to worry about it so much."

"Why not?"

"The lights of the city, I guess."

"Oh."

"They say Noct is destined to banish the daemons for good, though."

"How is he supposed to do that?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Hm. Must be nice to know your destiny though, however vague," she said morosely, thinking of the course her own life seemed to be taking.

"I know what you mean," he agreed. "A general direction you're supposed to be heading in would be pretty helpful."

"I guess we just have to figure it out for ourselves somehow." She drew solemnly in the dirt with a stick, lost in thought.

"Can I ask you something?" he said after a minute.

"Of course you can."

"Why do you have to marry this guy? The way you talk about your father, it's obvious you don't care much what he thinks. And it's not like in Noct's case, you're not a princess. His marriage is supposed to solidify relations between two countries. But why can't you have a say?"

She saw the logic in his argument. He was right, she wasn't a _princess_ , but her noble status came with certain duties and the hindrance of certain rights, or at least that's what her father had always tried to instill in his children. She guessed it was easier for her brothers to swallow than it was for her. She still hadn't told Prompto or any of the others who she really was. The conversation she'd had with him while collecting firewood had made that decision for her. She worried he would struggle with fears of being inferior, no matter how much she assured him otherwise. She wished she could tell him everything, but held her tongue with his feelings in mind.

"It's not so simple," she said slowly, coming up with a flimsy answer. "I promised my brother I would do this, if he would keep my father from interfering with my life afterwards."

"Seems to me, if Erik was as good a brother as you say he was, he would've wanted you to be happy." She froze in thought, suddenly doubting everything she thought she knew. "Well, I just hope this fiancé ends up to be amazing, and makes you happy," he said after a moment, as though he'd said his peace and left it in her hands.

She turned to him, touched by his selflessness. "Thank you."

"Because you deserve nothing less," he added, looking in her eyes.

Her brow furrowed as she swelled with emotion, turning to him and touching his shoulder. "You are such a sweetheart, Prompto," she said wistfully, unable to tear herself from his sapphire gaze, his golden hair highlighted by the sun's last desperate rays. He was so beautiful, so gentle and fair. His fingers grazed her cheek, as he very slowly leaned in closer. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she did the same, until they were but a breath apart. She closed her eyes and took the plunge, cradling one side of his freckled face in her hand. His lips were soft and warm as he wrapped one arm around her, using the other to hold himself upright. His fingers entangled themselves in her hair, while she similarly ran hers through his feathery locks. It was her first kiss, and she wanted this feeling to never end. She was sure they must be floating somewhere in the clouds, and that the rest of the world had ceased to exist for those few fleeting moments. But to her dismay, he eventually opened his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have done that," he breathed, his hand still on the side of her neck.

"Maybe," she began, taking a deep breath, with her face remaining close to his. "But I'll be damned if I said I didn't want you to."

He smiled, running his thumb across her cheekbone, but said, "We should get back. It's already getting dark."

She pursed her lips and lamented, "Stupid daemons." He chuckled and lifted himself up, offering her a hand. She took it and lingered in front of him, still unwilling to let go and return to the group. He was naught but a few inches taller than her, she realized just then, standing with her hand on his chest. "I don't want to go back. Not yet," she whispered in protest.

He grinned, wrapping his arms around her and holding her against him. She slid her hand around him, underneath his vest. "I know. But it's not safe out here now. As it is, we'll have to walk the chocobos down the hill. It's too steep to ride in the dark."

She sighed and reluctantly acquiesced. "Okay…" she said, taking the reins of her bird. As he followed suit and began to walk beside her, she reached out and intertwined her fingers in his.

* * *

"Ah, there you are. Where have you two been all afternoon?" Ignis asked them as they entered Hammerhead's diner, laughing at some inside joke. They were already eating their meals.

"Nowhere special. Just around," Prompto offered in explanation.

"We went for a ride on the chocobos because I had never gotten to before. It was really fun," she added, smiling back at Prompto and leaning into him.

"Well, you missed dinner," Gladio said, wiping his mouth. "Takka closed the kitchen already."

Prompto looked at Ignis with a panicked expression on his face. "I'm sure he can fix you a sandwich or something…" Ignis sighed with a wave of his hand.


	6. Chapter 6

She flipped slowly through Prompto's photographs back in the Regalia the next day, with him and Gladio on either side of her looking on. "These are great," she told him earnestly. "You're really good at this."

He was happy she liked them, and pleased with her praise. "Thanks," he said softly.

She held up one of Ignis he had taken from the passenger seat up front. "Ignis, why do you always drive?" Astrid wondered.

"Because the last time we let Prompto drive he almost crashed the car," Gladio answered for him, nudging her arm next to her.

"Hey, I did not! Everything was completely under control," Prompto assured her. Sometimes he wished Gladio would stop undermining him at every opportunity.

"So you _meant_ to swerve wildly off the road then."

"To be honest, I simply enjoy it," Ignis answered her original question, ignoring the side comments from Gladio and Prompto. "Once in a while Noct will take over, however. Would you care for a turn?"

"Oh, no, that's okay. I actually...don't...know how. And you're so good at it anyway, so…" Her face became slightly flushed.

"Very well. There is no shame in that. Not everyone has the same opportunities."

"Plus it's pretty comfortable back here. I'm happy with where I am," she said cheerfully, glancing beside her.

"Next to Prompto, you mean," Gladio teased her.

"Yeah, next to Prompto," she replied boldly. "Because _he_ doesn't pick on me."

"Hm. I wonder why that is," Gladio said facetiously, "You're such an easy target."

"Even though I'm so _little_?" She shot him a playfully stern expression.

" _Because_ you're so little."

"Must I separate you two?" Ignis joked.

"He started it," Astrid muttered, playing along. Gladio glanced at her, then pushed her over into Prompto's shoulder. She put a hand on his chest to steady herself. "Hey," she whined, then slowly raised her head to look at him. "Oh, hi Prompto," she said, smiling at him, "Sorry, Gladio's a big meanie."

"That's alright, you can stay over here if you want," Prompto said with a smirk.

"Okay." She grinned at him, and he shifted his arm to rest on the back of the seat behind her. She slid against him, so that he could feel the warmth of her body. He revelled in it. A quick glance at Gladio, who tipped his nose at him with a smirk, said he owed him one. "So where is this monster we're going to fight?"

"Keycatrich Ruins? Hm, not sure exactly. Uh, Noct? You've got the map," Prompto answered, turning the question over to his friend.

"It's up north a ways. We're just following this road most of the way there," Noctis told them, taking a quick glance at the map.

"How long do you think it'll take to get there?"

"Maybe an hour?"

"Oh really, that long?" she said, sneaking a smirk in Prompto's direction and snuggling closer. He glanced around at his friends, seeing if they noticed, but they either didn't care or weren't paying attention.

* * *

"Ignis, on the right!" Noctis said, pointing. The whole carload turned to see a collection of large crumbling stone structures, and Ignis quickly brought the vehicle to a stop. "This has gotta be it. How many other 'ruins' can there be around here?"

A thunderous roar echoed throughout the vestiges of civilization. They readied their weapons, willing them into their hands from blue vapors, and Astrid anxiously nocked an arrow, waiting to find out what they were up against.

"Stay close," Prompto told her.

She nodded, staring down the shaft of her arrow in the direction of the cry as the ground began to shake.

"What is th—" Prompto began to say, but was cut off by one of the last remaining walls in the area exploding into rubble. Smashing full-speed through the dust cloud and debris was a familiar creature of titanic proportions, with horns as long as the Regalia itself. Her eyes went wide and she unintentionally loosed her arrow early, embedding it in a less than vital location. She had frozen in terror, for charging directly at them was the very same daemon that had crushed her brother to death, with its glowing yellow eyes aflame.

* * *

"Listen, little sister, all I'm saying is to try and have an open mind. Father says Lord Reginald is a good man," Erik attempted to convince her.

She shot him a dubious expression from the passenger seat, her face barely illuminated by the dash lights. "He very well may be that, Erik, but the fact remains that he's nearly twelve years older than me, AND he's got a name like 'Reginald'." He laughed at her, and she continued in her best posh accent. "Can you picture me going around calling 'Reginald! Reginald dear, shall we take our tea in the garden this afternoon, or in the observatory?'"

"Oh, and I've even heard he's a half-decent archer," he chuckled, nudging her arm. "He enjoys hunting for sport."

"Great. So he likes killing defenseless animals for fun. You're not really convincing me here," she muttered, throwing up her arms. Her face twisted into a pout. "He's probably not even handsome…"

"Good looks and good men are a rare combination, I'm afraid. But if you look past that to what's inside, maybe you can learn to love him."

"I'll either love him or I won't. Love doesn't really work like that."

"Says the girl who hasn't even been in a relationship in, hm...how long? Oh yeah: _Never_ ," he reminded her. "You've been reading your stories again, haven't you."

"I _was_ planning on waiting for the right guy to come along," she said, looking gloomily out the passenger window. "But I guess I waited too long…"

He gave her a sympathetic look, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Tell you what, midget, let's just meet this guy. If you—" A leg as thick as a tree trunk crashed down in the middle of the road, stealing her attention.

"Watch out!" she screamed, her words drowned out by the squealing of the tires.

* * *

"Astrid!" She heard Prompto's voice call her name, but she couldn't see him. The rest of the group had scattered as the Behemoth charged them, except for her. She couldn't seem to move, her boots apparently made of lead. Her vision was filled only with the daemon's glowing eyes, growing larger by the second. Her heartbeat pounded in rhythm with its taloned feet. She closed her eyes in horror, certain it was the end, but when she opened them again she saw Prompto's face against the sky as he lay on top of her, having tackled her out of the beast's path. "Asti! Are you okay?" he asked desperately, holding her head in his hands.

"Prompto?" she said blearily, her wits returning. As things came back into focus, she continued, "Prompto, that's him! This Behemoth—it's the daemon that killed Erik!"

"How can you be sure?"

"I'm _sure_ , Prompto," she urged him.

"Then let's kill this thing," he growled, his voice so low and intimidating she didn't think he'd had it in him. He knelt and held out his hand, waiting for her answer. She heard its booming cry again, the battle already well underway between it and the rest of the group. A sudden lust for vengeance bubbled up within her, and she turned to Prompto, her eyes blazing.

"This bastard is as good as dead," she snarled intimidatingly, taking his hand. They stood together, turning and raising their weapons as one. Prompto quickly fired off three shots, and she took her time with a couple arrows.

"Good of you to join us!" Ignis shouted as he expertly slashed and twirled his daggers, so fluid and smooth as a choreographed dance.

"Sorry!" she called back.

Gladio swiftly dodged a powerful swipe of the monster's claws, and used his momentum against it to deliver a mighty blow with his greatsword. He struck the creature's ankle, giving it a noticeable limp. The daemon whipped its long tail around in response, catching Ignis in the process, who fell over backward. Noctis covered him until he got back on his feet, dashing from one spot on the battlefield to another with lightning speed.

Astrid and Prompto shot off another round. "How's the recoil on that magic pistol of yours?" she wondered casually, releasing an arrow into the beast's thick hide.

"Mm, not as good as you'd expect," Prompto answered cheerily as they both leapt to the right to avoid a giant tail whip.

"Hey! Midget!" called Gladiolus. "Think you can do your acorn trick?" He motioned with two fingers to his eyes, then back at her.

"You got it, Gladdy!" she replied with a nod. She paused, took a deep breath, then exhaled half of it, carefully aiming and trying to anticipate the monster's movements. She loosed the arrow, watching as it hit its mark. The Behemoth howled and snarled viciously, its head convulsing in a violent sweeping motion.

"Well done!" Ignis shouted in congratulations.

"That was awesome," Prompto agreed beside her.

"Thanks. If we can get around over there, I can try to get its other eye. That would make it an easy fight from there on out."

"Right. Follow me," Prompto said, hopping over some low rubble to circle around. She trailed closely behind him, keeping a close watch on the daemon's tail. Ignis was a blur of motion, slicing up the daemon's thick hide with his twin daggers and keeping the creature's attention on him. As they were nearly in position, however, the beast noticed them trying to sneak around behind it and turned to face them. Astrid held onto a nocked arrow, waiting for her chance. It snarled directly at them, foaming drool dripping from its rows of razor sharp teeth. "Uh, guys? A little help here?" Prompto asked nervously, firing into its open maw. His shots only served to infuriate the creature more. Noctis swooped in, leaving a giant gash on the opposite side of its throat. The Behemoth had no choice but to protect its vital parts, and thrashed its head back in the direction the wound had come from. She saw the glowing open target, and let loose her projectile. The beast let out a lamentable wail, crouching down low and backing away, now completely blinded. She almost felt sorry for the creature. Almost.

The party continued hacking and slashing away at the Behemoth, which used whatever it had left for defenses. They had to constantly watch out for its slicing tail, and whenever it sensed anyone close it lashed out wildly with its keen-edged claws. Gladio whacked again at a different limb, rendering the creature severely crippled. Noctis flew in from above, hacking at the back of its neck. It threw up its head in a weak cry, leaving a critical opening for an arrow. She didn't waste the opportunity, lodging one deep into a previous slash on its throat, and the Behemoth fell to the ground in a heap, its last breath escaping its lungs in a wretched wheeze.

She approached the beast's head slowly, while Prompto sang a victory tune. Staring it down, she reconciled her feelings, before angrily driving her brother's dagger deep into its face.

"I...do believe the beast was already dead," Ignis noted with a hint of sarcasm.

She looked up at him. "It was still twitching," she said innocently. He raised an eyebrow.

"I saw it! Its nose twitched," Prompto backed her up, draping his arm casually around her shoulders. Ignis gave him an incredulous look while the rest of them gathered around.

"It killed my brother, Iggy," she said quietly, looking up into his emerald eyes.

"I suspected that might be the case," he replied sympathetically, his voice soft and gentle. "I hope now he can rest in peace."

She smiled and nodded at him. "Thank you."

"Yes!" cried Prompto, twirling around. "We are having steak tonight!"


	7. Chapter 7

Prompto regaled Cindy's grandfather, Cid, with the story of their hunt, as they all sat around drinking outside the caravan. Night had already fallen, and Cindy was still in the garage finishing up with the Regalia's upgrades. "So she shot out its eye, right, and then—"

"You mean with that old thing?" Cid scoffed, nodding towards the bow leaning against the side of the trailer. Everyone else glanced around nervously at each other.

"Okay, what is with all the hate here about archery? Huh? That's the same reaction Gladio had when these guys first picked me up," Astrid said in her defense, a bit annoyed.

"Not too many people around here want to carry an antique," Gladio spoke up.

"Hey. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's not still deadly," she quipped.

"Here, here!" Cid cheered. "I like the way you think, darlin'."

She grinned at him, placated. Prompto continued his story. "So she shot out its eye, and then we're trying to circle around to get a clear shot at the other one, see. And Gladio's whackin' at its legs, Noct is flying around, and then it hears us—"

"Don't forget Ignis," she interrupted, smiling in his direction. "I'm jealous of his kickass dagger skills."

"Yeah, so Iggy, with the daggers, right, and then it hears us as we're sneaking around behind it. It whips its head around and is staring us down, and I'm like 'Guys? Help?'" Prompto acted out the whole affair.

"Prompto, you're leaving stuff out!" Astrid interrupted him again. "It was coming for us, with its open mouth and endless teeth, growling, snarling, drool dripping from its jaws. It was terrifying. But then you stood there defiantly firing off shots directly into its oncoming jaws. _That_ was amazing," she gushed, taking the last drink from her bottle.

"Aw, cut it out, it was nothing," he said, blushing.

"I'm getting another beer. This stuff is good," she said, standing. "Any of you heroes want seconds too?"

"Right here," Gladio said with a snap of his fingers, holding his arm up and pointing down at himself. She nodded, still looking around at the rest of them.

"I'd love another. Thank you," said Ignis, turning in his chair.

"Me!" Prompto cried.

"No, Prompto, she said 'heroes'," Gladio teased.

"Hey…"

"You're so mean," Astrid chuckled. "Noct? Cid? What about you guys?"

"I'm good," Noctis said.

"I'm still nursing my first," reported Cid.

"Got it. Be right back, boys," she said, walking off into the dark to fetch their drinks.

"Looks like you fellas have a fan," Cid observed, laughing.

"Nah, she's mainly a fan of _that one_ ," Gladio said, pointing his hand like a gun at Prompto across from him.

"Blondie? No kiddin'. Given up on pining after my granddaughter, eh?" Cid asked, turning to Prompto.

"I…I don't, uh..." Prompto stammered, trying to think of a response.

"Eh, it's for the best, kid. If you're not made of gears, metal, and wheels, she ain't interested."

"That's okay. Asti just... _gets_ me," Prompto said, smiling to himself.

"Yes...It's a shame she's promised to another," Ignis reminded him.

Prompto became very defensive, his brow furrowing. "She's not a piece of property, Ignis. She should be able to make decisions for herself."

"Oh I agree completely. But the fact remains that we have been, for all intents and purposes, delivering her to her fiancé in Altissia."

Prompto sighed angrily, standing. "They can't force her! This isn't right," he said in desperation before running off into the dark.

"This is gonna break his little golden heart," Gladio muttered to no one in particular. A moment later Astrid returned, struggling with an armload of four bottles.

"Was that Prompto? Where's he going?" she wondered, noticing him missing as she passed out the beers.

"I don't know," Ignis said regretfully, leaning forward in his chair and resting his wrists on his knees. "I'm afraid I've upset him."

"What'd you say? Is he okay?" she asked, setting her bottle down and looking in the direction he went. "I'll be back."

* * *

"Prompto!" she called, searching around for him with a flashlight. She found him by the chocobo pen, morosely petting the only one that was still awake. "Prompto, what's going on? What's wrong?" she asked, gently placing a hand on his back. He turned to her and immediately swept her into his arms. She was surprised at the boldness of his gesture, but gladly returned it. He held her tightly against him for some time before he finally spoke.

"I'm gonna miss you," he said quietly into her hair.

"I'll miss you too, Prompto. But I'll still see you," she tried reassuring him.

"Ignis says with this new upgrade we'll make it to Galdin Quay by tomorrow night, and then it's just a short boat ride to Altissia now that it's running again."

"Tomorrow?" she spat, realizing how soon she would have to say goodbye.

"I know. It's not enough time," he said dejectedly, pulling back to look at her.

"Will you still come visit me? I'm sure I could use some of that trademark Prompto charm now and then to cheer me up," she said awkwardly, fidgeting with his collar.

"Whenever I can. Promise."

"Good. And you better believe I'll hold you to it, boy," she said lightheartedly while pointing a finger at him and poking his chest.

"I promised!" he said, recoiling and chuckling. "What more do you want, a blood pact?"

"Nah, I don't wanna make you nauseous," she teased him.

"Hey," he said, pretending to be angry and tickling her ribs. She violently squirmed away, squealing and giggling wildly.

"Oh, you're gonna play _that_ game, huh," she said with a grin, taking it as a challenge.

"I might be, yeah," he answered, slowly creeping towards her with a devious grin.

"Just remember you started this war," she taunted him. "Call it to mind when you're lying in a giggling heap on the ground as I tickle you til you beg for mercy."

"Ooooh, them's fightin' words," he goaded her back right before lunging with an attack. She yelped and laughed, trying to get back at him while still protecting herself. His hands were quicker, however, and he soon sent her dashing back in the direction of the rest of the group, laughing wildly. He gave chase, keeping close enough distance behind her to get her every now and then.

"Prompto! No! The chair is safe!" she cried, approaching and somewhat startling the group. "The chair is safe! TRUCE! I call a truce!" She frantically planted herself in the plastic chair, as Prompto put up his hands in surrender. She cowered, grinning up at him. "Truce, right?"

He held out his hand. "Truce," he agreed, as they shook on it.


	8. Chapter 8

"Whoa, this place is beautiful," Astrid marveled as they parked at the piers of Galdin Quay. It was early evening, and the amber sun drifted low on the horizon, casting glistening reflections on the endless sea. They had been driving all day, stopping only a couple times for Imperials and fuel.

"And with that beauty, a matching price tag," lamented Ignis, closing the car door and stepping over to the pier's railing. Noctis quickly overtook him, looking excitedly down into the water.

"Awwww," whined Prompto behind him, "can't we stay at the hotel?"

"At ten thousand gil a night, we could only afford one room. One room, two beds, five of us," Ignis explained, holding up the corresponding number of fingers. "Where do you propose our fairest member sleeps?"

Prompto turned to look at Astrid, considering his answer. She decided for him. "That's okay, Ignis, I'll just camp out on the beach. If one of you lets me borrow his tent, I mean."

"That's quite noble of you, but we'll think of something else," Ignis said.

"No really, Iggy. I don't mind. I really like camping," she protested.

"Knew I liked you for a reason," Gladio interjected, holding out his arm in the universal request for a fist bump. She chuckled and didn't leave him wanting.

"And I doubt I'll be doing much of it from here on out, so…"

Ignis studied her face a moment before conceding. "Very well, if you wish."

"Thanks Iggy," she said, smiling warmly at him.

"Are you sure you'll be okay out here by yourself?" Prompto asked. The idea didn't seem to sit well with him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll get to listen to the waves as I fall asleep."

"Let's just go reserve the room already. I want to get some fishing in before it gets too late. It's almost prime biting time," Noctis said, leaning over the railing.

Ignis sighed and said, "Alright...come along."

* * *

After checking in at the Quayside Cradle and having a bite to eat, the party returned to the Regalia to retrieve their things. Prompto helped Astrid find what she would need for the night, setting it all on the pavement. Noctis was mostly interested in unpacking his fishing rod and tackle box, allowing Ignis to carry the rest of his stuff inside.

"You coming, Prompto?" Noctis asked him, resting his rod on his shoulder.

"Uh, no that's okay. I'm gonna help Astrid get set up," he replied, carrying as much stuff as he could so she wouldn't have to.

"Alright. What about you guys?" he called to Ignis and Gladio as they headed in the opposite direction towards the hotel.

"We'll meet you there," Gladio yelled back over his shoulder.

Astrid grabbed whatever Prompto had left behind and followed him in the direction of the beach. "Where's a good spot?" she asked him.

"How about over there under the palm tree?"

"Works for me," she said agreeably before setting her stuff down in the sand.

They had just enough lingering daylight to finish putting the tent together. As Prompto unrolled the sleeping bag for her and got things set inside, she spread out a blanket on the sand.

"What's that for?" he asked innocently, popping his head out.

She sat to one side of it, looking back at him. She wanted nothing more than to be as close to him tonight as he would let her. "For you to come sit with me," she said softly, patting the blanket next to her.

"Oh. Okay," he said happily, zipping the tent and filling the spot she'd picked out for him. "Let me get a picture, this sky is too pretty not to," he said, taking his camera out of his pocket. She tilted her head back, looking up at the heavens. The moon had just begun to rise, and the western horizon was filled with darkened shades of blue as the last traces of the sun slowly faded away to leave behind a blanket of stars.

The camera flash brought her back down to earth. "What, just me? I want you in it too."

"Alright, one more then," he said, flipping the camera around and putting his arm around her. Just before he took the picture this time, he turned his head to kiss her cheek, provoking a big grin on her face.

"You sneaky yet adorable goofball, you," she teased him.

"I wholeheartedly deny it," he said, acting offended.

She chuckled, playfully nudged his chest, and turned back to look out over the ocean. The water was so glassine she couldn't tell where the sky ended and the sea began. It felt like they were nearly surrounded by stars. "When I was little, my mother and I used to sit outside on nights like this and make up our own constellations," she reminisced, laying herself down on the blanket.

He lay beside her, turning his head to her silhouette. "I used to do that too. See that cluster right there?" he asked, scooching closer to point it out to her. "That was Quackles the Duck."

She giggled heartily, turning on her side and touching his shoulder. "Quackles? Haha...Oh Prompto, you're so cute."

"What? I was like, eight," he said, grinning back at her, his eyes sweeping across her face.

"Promise me you'll never change," she chuckled, shaking her head and smiling sweetly at him, before shifting her body closer.

"Uh, okay. That sounds easy enough," he said hesitantly, followed with a nervous laugh. He slowly lifted his arm so she could nestle into him, wrapping it around her once she'd taken the invitation.

"Good," she said, smiling to herself as she slowly moved her hand to rest on the far side of his chest, feeling his musculature along the way. She had to make an effort to slow her breathing and quell the butterflies in her stomach. He apparently picked up on the fact that she enjoyed it, turning onto his side as well to face her. His other hand went to the small of her back, pressing her tightly against him. She eagerly took the opportunity to kiss him, grazing her thumb along his jawline before pulling his head in closer. He was more confident than the first time, whether out of familiarity or desperation. Neither of them wanted to stop, going back again and again for more as their feverish hands roamed over each other.

He held her tightly to his chest, kissing at her neck. "I can never seem to get you close enough," he whispered.

"Me neither," she replied in equal measure.

"I...I don't want you to marry this guy," he blurted out. She paused, opening her eyes.

She met his gaze, holding the side of his face. "I have to," she said sorrowfully.

"Why?"

"Prompto, we've been over this," she said, her voice full of regret as she softly stroked his cheek.

"Help me understand," he asked, discontented.

"One of the last things Erik asked of me was to have an open mind toward Reginald, and maybe I could learn to love him eventually. I never got to answer him before the Behemoth took him from me forever."

"Love doesn't work like that," he muttered in defeat, rolling onto his back again. She said nothing in response, having no rebuttal. His words hit her hard, wanting nothing more than to run away from all her duties and responsibilities and be with him. He sat up, cross legged. "I...I should probably get back. The guys will be wondering where I am."

A desperate idea came into her head, not wanting to let him go. "Wait...Prompto?" He turned back to her, waiting for her follow-up, as she reconsidered her next question. She realized then she'd already committed to it, and to hell with rules and proper decorum. "Stay," she asked, sitting up to face him.

"I guess a little longer wouldn't hurt…"

"No. I mean, stay with me here, tonight," she clarified, fidgeting nervously with the silver chain hanging from his belt as she struggled to look him in the eyes.

"Are you sure? You want me to sleep here?" He sounded surprised, like she'd completely blindsided him, but not opposed to the idea.

"Yes," she said with conviction, finally meeting his gaze.

He glanced up at the hotel briefly, considering, before his eyes settled back on her. "Okay."


	9. Chapter 9

They had spread the blanket on the floor of the tent, and unzipped the sleeping bag to lay over themselves. Prompto removed his vest, shirt, and boots, setting them to the side of the bed they'd made. He tried not to stare as she undressed as well in the dim battery powered lamplight, leaving on only her white buttoned shirt and underwear.

"Is that what you usually sleep in?" she asked, nodding towards him.

"I figured I'd leave them on. I didn't wanna, you know, make you uncomfortable," he replied awkwardly while resting on his back, one arm behind his head.

"Oh. It wouldn't, but that's okay. It's up to you," she said, lying on her side and resting her head on her hand. She looked him up and down, and didn't try to hide the fact. "Prompto," she said, her eyes wide as she reached out to touch his abs, "has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

"Uh...no?" He tensed, unsure of himself.

She moved over to lie against him, the warmth of her body making his skin tingle. "You're amazing and gorgeous and funny and I've never met anyone like you before."

"Really?" he asked with a grin, and she nodded in return. He flipped to his side to face her, resting his hand on her hip. "Well, I think you're beautiful and amazing too. And kind, and gentle and sweet and funny, and...I'm still having trouble believing someone as special as you could ever be interested in me."

"Prompto," she said, smiling coyly as she ran her hands along his chest, "how could I not? You pretty much gave me no choice with your big blue eyes, intoxicating personality, and killer body. It was inevitable."

He slid his hand up from her hip, catching her shirt on his thumb, and then around to her lower back, pulling her against him. The new contact with her skin, the way she looked at him, his mind beginning to envision things... it all set his desire aflame. He kissed her with a passion and ferocity that surprised even himself. He unbuttoned her top a bit more, tugging it to one side to kiss at her neck. She was everything he'd ever wanted, and he couldn't let her go. Not yet. Not tonight.

Her leg hooked around his knee, moving it between hers. She began to tug at his belt as she kissed his collarbone, starting to undo the buckle. His eyes widened as he looked at her and stuttered, "Whoa, uh… Hey… We can't, you're, ya know, supposed to be engaged."

She froze, her expression changing to confusion. "Do you not want to?"

"Heh, of _course_ I do," he blurted out emphatically, then cleared his throat to continue. "I mean...What I want and what has to happen are two different things."

"Prompto, I… I don't want my only experience to be with someone I don't care about." She watched him closely, waiting.

His thoughts were torn in two. He wanted her more than anything, to give her whatever she wanted, but… responsibilities? Rules… or something like that? He looked at her, his eyes following every perfect curve of her body, her auburn hair cascading around her shoulders, one of them now bare from his earlier enthusiasm with her shirt. His gaze lingered there on her shoulder, lost in thought. He touched it, his fingers gently trailing up her slender neck. Then, cradling her head, he leaned in to kiss her again. "Okay," he said at last, resting his forehead against hers. "Tonight I'm yours."

* * *

Prompto had stealthily slipped away early that morning, hoping to make it back to the hotel before any of his friends woke up. He was still working on his story when he caught Ignis' eye from across the lobby as he sat alone drinking his morning cup of Ebony. He stopped in his tracks as Ignis pointed at him, then sharply at the chair beside him. He hung his head and anxiously obeyed, gripping the armrests.

"I won't even ask where you were last night, because it's written all over your guilty face," Ignis said coolly, taking a sip of coffee.

"Ignis, I'm sorry. She asked me to stay, and—"

"She does not belong to you," he admonished him sternly, his raised voice clearly enunciating every syllable.

Prompto sat sullenly for several seconds, staring at the floor. "I love her, Iggy," he finally said, defeated.

Ignis sighed audibly, his features and voice softening. "I know," he said quietly. "But you knew how this would end from the very beginning."

"Knowing didn't make it any easier to stay away. I just...couldn't."

"Logic and reason have little place when dealing with matters of the human heart. I understand that, Prompto. But you should have considered the possible ramifications of your actions."

* * *

Astrid awoke shivering alone, with the sun creeping over the horizon. She felt empty without him there, and wondered how long that feeling would last. Would she be this shell for the rest of her life without him now? She sat up, wrapping the covers around her. There was a pile of photographs where Prompto should have been. As she flipped through each one, she was reminded of all the good times they'd had together, starting all the way back to the first time he'd spoken up for her when Gladio insisted she prove herself worthy. The last one she came across was from the night before, with the two of them against the endless starry sky. How happy they both looked, his surprise kiss even now making her grin.

 _I'll either love him or I won't. Love doesn't really work like that._ Her own words echoed in her mind. She loved Prompto, she realized. She couldn't go through with this wedding, not now. Consequences be damned. Love isn't something you can just ignore and it'll go away. She would never forgive herself. Erik surely would have understood. He had always tried to make her happy, even if it meant going secretly against their father.

With her mind made up, she broke down the tent and packed things up, deciding to tell him just as soon as she could get him alone.


	10. Chapter 10

They had at last arrived in Altissia after a slightly awkward boat ride she had spent trying to avoid the gaze of everyone but Prompto. She couldn't help but notice a different look to him this morning, something different in his eyes and the way he looked at her. His eyes were a double-edged sword, equal parts gloom and affection.

Altissia was even more beautiful than Galdin Quay, and she gaped at it all as they crossed a long water bridge over a crescent waterfall to enter the city gates. The whole place looked as though it was slowly being swallowed by the sea, with its canals and streets of water.

As Ignis negotiated their way through the immigration office to gain access to the city, Astrid whispered excitedly to Prompto, "I need to talk to you soon. I have to tell you something important."

"I have something to tell you too," he whispered back.

"Many thanks," Ignis called over his shoulder at the immigration officer. "Let's get out of here before they change their mind. We should head for the Maagho restaurant of which Cid spoke. Hopefully this 'Weskham' fellow can give us some information."

* * *

The gondola pulled up to a seemingly floating restaurant and bar, surrounded on three sides by canals. The bartender greeted them warmly. "Welcome to Accordo, lads. Cid mentioned you'd be dropping in. Weskham Armaugh, as you've gathered. My word, you've grown, little Prince." Astrid kept to the back of the crowd, hoping for a moment to talk with Prompto while Noctis got the current state of things from Weskham.

A short-haired blonde woman in a sharp turquoise suit entered the bar as Noct conversed. Weskham paused, turning his attention to her. "My dear Camelia… it's been a while."

"I heard about your distinguished guests," the woman replied, turning towards the group.

"Ah, you've an ear for gossip," noted Weskham.

"Gentlemen, I won't waste your time. My name is Camelia Claustra."

"First Secretary of the Accordo Protectorate," interjected Ignis.

"Prompto," Astrid whispered excitedly, then motioned with her head to the side. She foresaw the political discourse to come wouldn't miss the two of them, and took her chance. He nodded and began to follow her, making their exit.

"Viscountess?" She heard Camelia's voice and froze, her eyes widening in terror as she slowly turned her head. "Lady Astrid, is that you? We heard reports of your vehicle being attacked and feared the worst! Lord Reginald will surely be relieved his bride has arrived safely."

" _Viscountess?!_ " her four companions exclaimed in unison, the entire group turning to look at her in astonishment.

"Uhh...surpriiise?" she said meekly, cowering under their collective gaze.

" _Lady_ Astrid? Why didn't you tell me?" Prompto said, his face awash with all sorts of emotions.

She turned to look at him anxiously. "Prompto, I can explain…"

"It all makes sense now," he said, his voice quivering. "You couldn't be with me because you literally had no choice! Were you just toying with me the whole time? Just...just leading me on?!" He paced back and forth, obviously agitated.

"No, Prompto...I care about you a great deal!" she assured him desperately.

"You _lied_ to me!"

"I'm sorry, Prompto. I… I didn't want to make you feel inferior."

He stopped pacing and stared piercingly at her, on the verge of tears. "Well this is a great way NOT to do that," he said sharply before darting for the restaurant's main doors.

"Prompto! Prompto wait!" she called after him.

"Let him go, Asti," Ignis said softly. She slumped in a nearby chair, her head in her hands.

"Ignis… what have I done? I've screwed up everything," she sobbed.

He moved to her side, placing an empathetic hand on her shoulder. "I'll… try to talk to him."

"Thank you," she sniffled, leaning her head against him.

"I… hate to break this up," Camelia began coldly, "but I'm sure there are a multitude of emergency wedding plans to sort through after informing your betrothed you are indeed still alive. My valet here can take you to his estate if you'll come along."

She looked up at Ignis with a panic-stricken expression. "It'll be alright," he said reassuringly. She nervously stood, looking around at the three of them, and then to Camelia.

"I'll miss you guys," she whimpered.

Gladio stepped up first to give her a hug. "Good luck, midget. Keep practicing," he said, pulling her against him.

"I will. Be nice to Prompto for me, okay?"

"No promises," he said with a smirk.

She smiled and moved onto Noctis. "Nothing but the best, Noct. I hope it all works out for you. You'll make a great king, I just know it."

"Heh, thanks. I hope it works out for you too." She let go of him and stepped up to Ignis. He pulled a small brown bag from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Miniature chocolate pies...a parting gift," he said, his lips smiling without his eyes.

"Thank you, Iggy. Good as your word. I'll miss you and your cooking," she said, hugging him tightly. "Keep these guys in line."

"I will. Be sure to call me if you need anything, even if it's just to talk. And don't worry about Prompto. You know nothing keeps him down long."

"Tell him...tell him I'm sorry, and I hope he can forgive me. I never meant to hurt him. That was the last thing I ever wanted to do."


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm so glad you're finally here safe and sound, my dear," Reginald said cordially, sitting down with her to dinner. He was an average sized man, though powerfully built with ruddy cheeks and an already receding hairline. His eyes were steel gray, and there was a certain coldness to them that put her ill at ease. He was a sharp dresser, she had to admit, with each garment impeccably pressed and starched. She had been swept off to be bathed as soon as she had arrived, and provided with new, fairly restrictive frilly dresses, "to better suit your social status," Reginald had told her. They were seated at either end of a long mahogany table in a large, yet somehow claustrophobic dining room with mounted animal heads and paintings decorating the walls.

"Yes...it was quite an experience getting here," she replied politely, sipping her soup.

"How fortunate you were to be rescued by a prince and his noble servants rather than the commonfolk. The country out that way can be very harsh and uninviting. Much like its inhabitants."

"Oh, yeah, those guys were amazing. Can't say enough good about them."

"Quite right," he agreed, gulping down his goblet of wine. "Geoffrey! Another." He beckoned with a snap of his fingers to one of the servants standing at attention along the walls.

"Lord Reginald, I was told you're a bowhunter," she said, feigning interest as she tried to make conversation.

"Indeed I am, my lady. In fact, every trophy you see in this room was bagged by myself. I also hold the regional sharpshooting title," he puffed proudly.

"That's impressive. I'd like to take a crack at shooting against you sometime," she said.

"Oh, haha, how quaint. You wish to learn, do you?" he chuckled condescendingly.

"I'm actually half decent myself. I've only bagged one thing, though. It was this Behemoth daemon that killed my brother Erik. Well actually, Prince Noctis and the rest of his friends, we all worked together to bring it down, but man was that thing gigantic."

"Ah yes, your father said you enjoyed your stories," he grumbled, finishing off another goblet of wine. She began to wonder why he didn't just get a larger cup.

"It's not a story. It really happened. I have pictures to prove it," she said calmly, no stranger to men in power patronizing her.

He sharply hit the table with his open palm. "Ladies in your position do not practice archery," he snarled, his voice raised, "nor do they fight daemons with a rebellious princeling and his snobby friends." Her eyebrows expressed her shock and disdain for his outburst, but she held her tongue. No wonder her father considered him a good man: he was just like him.

* * *

Prompto could feel Ignis' eyes on him through the window as he sat on the hotel room balcony alone, but he did his best to ignore him. He watched the people walking by on the streets below, wondering if any of them had ever been betrayed by the one they loved. Try as he might, however, he couldn't bring himself to hate her for it. He couldn't deny that he missed her sweet face, when she would smile at him and make him feel like a king.

The click of the door opening startled him as he was lost in thought. Ignis stepped through the door frame with a plate of food, sitting silently on the bench beside him. It was several uncomfortable minutes before he finally spoke. "It's been three days, Prompto. You need to eat," he pleaded, handing him the plate.

Prompto glanced at it, then turned away. "I'm not hungry, thanks."

"Prompto," Ignis gently scolded, "she told me she never wanted to hurt you."

"Then maybe she shouldn't have lied to me," scoffed Prompto.

"Did she ever specifically tell you she was _not_ of noble birth?"

"Well...no."

"So she merely withheld information. That's a bit different than lying, if you ask me."

"But why didn't she tell us, Iggy? Why not right from the start?" Prompto asked.

"I believe in what she said at the Maagho, that she didn't want to make you feel like a lesser person than she."

"I would've been fine."

"Please do not take this the wrong way, my friend, but you're a mess of hang-ups and inferiority complexes."

"Hey…" he said, shifting in his seat.

"In her own way," Ignis continued softly after a moment's pause, "I believe she was trying to protect you. She obviously did not view her social status as an important part of who she is, but I think she knew _you_ would have a difficult time accepting it. Seems to me she was onto something..." He held up an apple, and after a long deliberation, Prompto reluctantly took it.


	12. Chapter 12

"Maggie, how do you like being in the service of Lord Reginald?" Astrid asked her handmaiden as she stood behind her, tightening her corset in preparation for the ceremony. She was a thin spit of a girl, with a plain face and friendly demeanor.

"Milady?" Maggie said anxiously.

"What do you think of him, Mags? I swear on the memory of my brother I won't say a word to him about it."

"Well… he can be a decent enough person, milady. He's intelligent, clever, and sometimes even enjoys a good laugh," she told her, then continued in a hushed tone, "Just… do your best to steer clear when he has a drink in his hand, if you know what I mean."

"Hmm, yeah I think I got a taste of that earli—HRK!" Astrid was cut off when the handmaid yanked hard on the corset ties. "Maggie! Can't breathe…" she gasped, perhaps a little theatrically.

"Sorry milady."

"Why do I have to wear this torture device anyway? Am I not thin enough?"

"My Lord holds Imperial-style fashion in high regard. He personally selected your gown himself," she said, fetching it from across the room. Astrid glanced at it briefly as though it were the sun. Seeing it made it all real, and she didn't want to think of what that meant.

"I don't think I'm ready for this."

"Don't worry, milady, it's just cold feet. It happens to everyone. Now, arms up! Protect your hair," she instructed her. Astrid did as she was told while Maggie slid the dress over her head, then laced it up in back. "Aww...My Lady, you are a vision," she said, admiring her from all sides. "It'll be so nice to have another woman in the household. I'm truly happy you decided to still agree to this even after the Imperial invasion."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. "Why does that change anything?"

"Milady? Did you not know the city-states are dissolved? Lord Reginald was allowed to retain his titles and estates, but is no longer in control of the province." She couldn't believe her ears. If her father knew this, surely he would call off the marriage contract. _That son-of-a-bitch_ , she thought to herself, _he had no intent of telling me about this._

"Thanks Maggie," she said calmly, though her insides boiled. "If you don't mind, could I have a few minutes alone?"

"Of course, milady," she said, before curtsying and taking her leave. As the door shut behind Maggie, Astrid turned back to the floor-length mirror in front of her. She made a sour expression when she finally inspected herself, and then jumped into action. She uncovered a small bag of her things, tied her dagger to her waist, and pulled on her trusty boots. After opening the window, she stuck her head through it, gauging the distance to the ground. She figured she could climb down easily enough to where it would be safe to jump, even in her ridiculous dress. As she grabbed her bow and quiver, there was a short knock at the door and Maggie reentered. Astrid quickly hid them behind her back. "Milady, His Highness Prince Noctis of Lucis is here to see you."

"Noct? What are you doing here?" she asked as he stepped in the room and Maggie left them alone.

"I came to talk, but it kinda looks like you're going somewhere," he said with a smirk, nodding to the open window and noting the gear in her hand. She gave up trying to hide it behind her back.

"I am _not_ marrying this guy, Noct," she stated forcefully.

"I don't blame you. Ignis heard from one of Claustra's assistants that he's an Imperial supporter."

"That pompous bastard," she said, glancing at her wedding gown. "I just found out he's got titles but no power behind it. My father would not have agreed to this had he known."

"That's good news then, right?" he asked with a grin.

"Definitely."

"Awesome. But really, I came here to talk about Prompto," he said, his smile fading.

"Is he alright?" she asked nervously.

"I guess. I've just never seen him like this. He's barely eaten or said a word since you left. And you know how much he likes doing those two things." Her eyes had been unable to contain the tears welling up in them when she chuckled, and they spilled down her cheeks. "I've never seen him happier than when he's with you."

She met his dark blue eyes. "I miss him, Noct. I was about to run away and find him and beg forgiveness. I just can't let him go without a fight."

Noctis smiled at her. "Good. But if there's one thing Gladio and Ignis have taught me, you can't run away from your responsibilities, no matter how much you want to. You have to talk to Reginald."

She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Oh alright…"

"Good," he said, turning to the door.

"You're a good friend to him, Noct," she began, prompting him to stop. "I know they're all sworn to protect you and all, but… it makes me happy to see you watch out for them too."

He shrugged at her awkwardly, smiling, then said, "I'll meet you back at the hotel. Don't want Prompto to know I talked to you."

"I'll be right behind you. And Noct…" He paused and turned back again. "Thanks," she added, grinning for the first time in days.

* * *

Prompto laid morosely on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling and wishing he could sleep. Sleep at least gave him some slight respite from thinking about her. He only dreamt of her some of the time, instead of her being on his mind every second while he was awake.

Though he didn't want to admit it aloud, Ignis was right about her. He saw now that it was not out of malice or a desire for torment that she withheld certain knowledge. He wished he could have realized that sooner, so that maybe he could have at least said goodbye to her. That, he thought, was what stung the worst now.

He wondered what she was doing right then. Where she was, if she was happy… And what she must think of him. He turned to face the back of the couch, sensing Noctis watching him as he paced the room.

"Noct, would you please sit down? You're putting me ill at ease," Ignis said, looking up briefly from his book. He was about to comply when there was a desperate knock at the door, and the prince eagerly answered it.

"Astrid! What a pleasant surprise," Ignis said, rising from his chair. Prompto jolted when he heard her name, rolling backwards. He miscalculated and fell onto the floor with a thud, then quickly got up, hoping no one else saw that.

"What can I say, I missed my boys," she said with a grin.

"You look like you ran away from a wedding," Gladio noted amusingly, joining the circle forming around her.

"Funny you should say that…" she said.

"Is that blood?" Noctis asked, noticing a crimson spray across her chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's not mine. I'm fine," she assured them.

Ignis took a step closer and gently turned her chin, observing the fresh red bruise on her left cheekbone. "Who did this to you?" he asked sternly, as Prompto stood at the back looking horribly concerned.

"Okay, okay. So I went to tell my _former_ fiancé I couldn't marry him," she began, slowly glancing up at Prompto until she met his wide-eyed gaze, "and he was a bit more upset than I expected. He managed to catch me off-guard when he hit me the first time, but the second… I pulled out my knife to shield myself with and he hit the blade instead, slicing his hand open pretty good. Then I booked it outta there as he screamed after me."

"Ha! Well played," Gladio laughed heartily, patting her on the back hard enough to set her off kilter and have to take a step forward to steady herself.

"Ow, Gladio, still a bit sore, buddy," she said, wincing. She continued her forward momentum, stepping through the group to Prompto, who still hadn't said a word. She carefully took hold of each side of his vest, looking him in the eyes. "Prompto… I just want to tell you how sorry I am. I should have told you all along. I don't want any secrets between us, so… here's my last one: I love you. I love everything about you, and whatever you do with that information is up to you, but if you want me... I'm all yours. Nothing now can keep me from being with you, even if I have to renounce my titles and live on the run for the rest of my life." She finished and stood anxiously before him, awaiting his decision.

He didn't move for several moments, having trouble believing his ears. This sort of thing didn't happen to people like him. He touched her shoulder, making sure she was real. His face could no longer hide the sheer joy bubbling within him like a tea kettle. His smile provoked a matching one on her lips as she realized his answer, and he pulled her against him, kissing her fiercely. He could feel nothing else but her, the rest of the world fading to gray until it slowly returned to the sound of cheers, clapping, and catcalls. She smiled at him, and turned coyly back to their friends, never letting go.

"This calls for a celebration," Ignis suggested warmly. "Let me order a bottle of champagne from room service."

"Do you think you could get me something to eat, too? I'm starving," Prompto asked eagerly.

THE END.


End file.
